Always a misfit
by kwidditchfan
Summary: One-shot. Daphne Greengrass is musing over life Set in the style of an Alan Bennet talking head.


**This is just a little thing I wrote for English. Daphne muses about the unfairness of her life in2001ish. It is based on the Talking heads by Alan Bennet, and so may sound a little odd, I don't know.**

**Disclaimer: I donot own any characters from Harry Potter, and no do I own any aspect of Talking Heads.**

_Always a Misfit_

_Daphne is sitting on a sofa, reading. She is in a plain, but well decorated room. It does not have a TV, Radio etc. in it. Camera pans the room before settling on Daphne_

"One sometimes thinks life is not worth living. I mean to say, she is evidently leading him on. I really do not think that she knows what she is doing. Obviously _I_ do not care. _I am _not one ... to pry on other people's business. Unlike some people. She is quite young though, which is fairly concerning. Not that she has not got a life. On the contrary, she has job, even though she only finished school last year, and she has about a million-and-one friends...Little Miss Perfect.

"Pansy called round earlier. I never really liked her at school, but the years have passed. I invited her in, and after all the niceties, asking me how I was, and so on, she asked for a recipe. Turns out she is a reporter, with a cooking column, of all things. She asked me for the cake I used to make on 'Special Days'. I told her I had no idea what she was talking about. After all, one does not want everyone knowing. She said 'You know, the one you always used to make. The one we all teased you about.' I said 'Well, why do you ask for it then?' She said 'Have to; it's my job, isn't it. Sooner I can get off this column the better. It was supposed to be nice.' In the end I gave it to her. You just cannot argue with people like that. Although, as I said, she had changed a great deal. Hmm.

"Harry Potter called as well. Mother and father, well, they just went head over heels to welcome him. He _used_ to be nice. I _used _to like him. Hah! They sent him out with Astoria. Poor her. Not that she doesn't deserve it. They deserve each seems to like Astoria and he. They're both 'Wonderful'.

"I tend to stay to stay in my bedroom, nowadays. In the house at any rate. I just get stopped _so often_ in the street. 'Are you Astoria Greengrass' elder sister?' 'Is it true she's being betrothed to a certain _Mr Potter_?' (_Sighs_) I get so tired of it.

"When I go down to the job centre, I get it too. Everyone thinks I should ask Astoria to help with my current situation. Goody-two-shoes. Someone should write a book about her. I am surprised that no-one has. Mrs Boot down at the centre suggested _I_ wrote a book. 'About your family', she said. 'What family?' I replied.

"I think that I will go up to bed now. I will read a bit more. That is all I ever seem to do now. Making up for lost time, I suppose. I never had the chance to read much when I was younger. Not that I would not have liked to, more the fact that there never seemed to be a quiet place or quiet time. _(Chuckles to self)_ Not in our year. Not in our house. Definitely not with Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter about. Not even when I was home for the holidays.

_Camera fades out as Daphne gets up and walks out of door._

* * *

><p><em>Daphne is in bed and looks as if she has been crying. The bedroom is very plain, decor such as the living room.<em>

"It is all over. My parents...well I can't believe they actually did this. I did not know that I would feel so upset. I guess it's the thought of having him in the family more than anything. I do not hope that he and Astoria are happy together, I really do not. He's only doing it to be kind, she because my parents forced her to. But really! I know that he is very popular, well off, and so on, but he is...well, I just do not want a person like that in my family.

"My parents did not even ask me! I really do not think they like me anymore. I think that I will go away for a couple of days. See how they would like that. I do not know how they would cope. I might even get someone... to come with me. A holiday.

"Not that they would come. No. No-one...would come. I was never very popular. Astoria...well, you can just imagine how my social life is with her around. Hah! Some social life.

"Astoria spoke to me today! She asked me how I was. As if she didn't know. 'I'm going to be so happy now with Da-Harry. I've came to give you – come to give you our wedding list. We thought of one especially for you, we thought it would be perfect for you to give us. Anyhow, I've got to go now. Bye!' Honestly, that girl cannot even speak properly.

"When she had gone, I glanced down at the list. I could not afford most of the things, but there was one...which seemed as if they were they trying to ridicule me? It is just the sort of thing they would do.

"I was looking at some old photos earlier. My first year and second year classmates, when Astoria and I were on holiday with my parents, and when she started at my school. It brought back so many memories. _(Rummages around table next to bed for a photo. Takes it out and stares at it)_ When I was young...my biggest problem being history homework...oh.

_Fades to black as she looks wistfully up at a photo_

* * *

><p><em>Daphne has her back to the audience, and is rummaging through a box in her bedroom.<em>

"It should be here somewhere. I know that it is. Oh well. Never mind. I just noticed that he was not in my class photo. Neither was Harry. Well, of course, Harry would not be, he was not in my house, but Draco was. It is strange to think of them both somewhat cute when they were younger. Now...huh.

"I really think that I should go and see Draco again sometime. I see him on occasion, but I have not for a while. I wonder if Astoria will invite him to the wedding? I doubt it, what with Harry and Draco's old animosity towards each other. But Astoria likes him. Yes, I know that Astoria likes him a lot.

"One would think that having the right qualifications would enable one to get a job easily. However, sadly that seems not to be the case. I spent _three years_ after I left school studying, and have spent the last two searching for, what seems to me, an increasingly rare job opportunity. For five years I have been out of school, and Astoria is up and running without anything. I suppose that is why people like her. Inspiration. Some people. Plain annoying she is to me.

"I cannot believe that she wants to be married to Harry. I know, well, I guess, that she actually likes some other. She will never get him now. I am glad, in a way, that I am not important enough in my family for my parents to arrange a marriage to someone who I do not love. All the same, it would be nice to have some recognition, to be noticed for once.

_Fades to black very suddenly after last words are said_

* * *

><p><em>In her bedroom, sitting up on her bed.<em>

"Hah! She has done it! Run away! What no-one ever thought the perfect Astoria would do. I have to admit, not even I suspected it, and I had the lowest opinion of her than anyone. The bird has flown, away from Harry, away from marriage. Mother and father were so upset; she had not even left a note. Perhaps no-one will ever hear of her again, perhaps I will have some limelight.I just hope that mother and father do not force me to marry Harry in her stead. That would be truly dreadful. No, I might follow Astoria's lead, and run away, only not on my own, with him.

"There is something under this pillow. (_Stretches hand out underneath pillow)_. A note! From Astoria?

(_Reads it, and then buries head in hands)_

"Oh no. Oh no, no, no. This is not what I want. I really do not need this. I hate her. I hate her. She is my sister. My only sister. And she has done this...to me? I loved him. I have always loved him. Well, not always, when I was younger, it was Harry then...Harry? Draco. Draco.

"I am going to track the two of them down. I will find them. And when I find them, I-I do not know what I will do to them. I am mad enough to kill the both of them. But it is Draco. And anyway, that would be unforgivable.

"I suppose that I out to tell mother and father. Except that I do not want to. This is my bit of news. I can deal it however I want. And anyway, Astoria did not want them to know. She left it for me. (_pauses) _That settles it then. I will show it to mother and father.

_Fades to black_

* * *

><p><em>In bedroom, but much more bright and colourful<em>

"I have been thinking about all the old times. With Astoria. I do not think that I have ever liked her, not since she was born. She took over all of mother and father's love. They said she was "destined to be great"! Yes, nearly married to the celebrated and esteemed Harry Potter, and now married to the mundane, once esteemed Draco Malfoy. Almost great.

"She was always annoying. I remember, once going to party of Pansy's, heaven knows why, I think it was because of my parents Yes, and Astoria was there. I was up in Pansy's bedroom, listening to her talk non-stop about how Draco would be sorry that he had finished with her. I could almost imagine Draco laughing at the thought. Pansy was annoying me, but I did not mind it, as I felt that, for once, I was being accepted. Then Astoria came up. She was in her fourth year then, but she was whingeing, as ever. I sent her away of course.

"And now she has caused the name of our family to be in all the papers. The thing was that they were praising her name, and the one of Mr Malfoy. I do not see how she managed not to shame our name, but I am glad she did not.

"We even got an invite to the wedding, which was several weeks ago. Mother and father went of course, although he was not the most suitable choice, they wanted to see their daughter get married. As one would expect, I stayed at home. I had no wish to see Astoria, or Draco for that matter. They were traitors ...are traitors, in my understanding.

"To my surprise, it was Ginevra, yet another of those Weasleys, who found out where they were. She is in the jewellery business, in central London. Draco went to her to find an engagement ring. She contacted me straight away, 'seeing as it was my sister and all'. Good gracious, that must have been a good few months ago.

"Nothing much has changed here, at home, in the past few months. Mother and father have just mourned the loss of their favourite daughter, they have not thought about me. I have got a job though. And it could not be better. It is in the law department. Apparently they have been looking for someone with the right qualifications, like me, for years. I cannot think how it came to pass me, but now I have it, and well paid it is as well. I am going to move out of my parents house as soon as possible, but it will not be very soon. At least I have some money though

"The best news of late is that Astoria has been forbidden to work by Draco! I do not know if she cares or not, but apparently 'a respectable woman like her should not be doing ordinary things'. Respectable, my foot. The Malfoy family have redeemed their selves though, I suppose that is due to the fact that they are wealthy, and have good connections in society, even after their downfall. I am not sure who I heard it from, but Astoria is not used to not having things her own way. She could always wrap mother and father round her little finger. Still...(_smirks_)

_Fade to black, Daphne still smirking to herself._

* * *

><p><em>Sitting in a bright, well lit room. It has many decoration and ornaments in it, and some photos of a white haired toddler.<em>

"Scorpio is a very sweet little boy. I was playing with him earlier, Astoria sent him round. And he has the most beautiful manners, and a charming smile. Astoria really has bought him very well. He is going to be five, next month. How the time has passed. He looks exactly like his father, and he does reminds me of his mother when she was small.

Ginevra has children, too. She married Harry Potter, a few months after the scandal. He did go out with her a bit in the sixth year, but none of us thought it would come to anything. James and Albus, I think they are called, and a girl called Lily. Albus is the same age as Scorpio, I suppose. Not that I have ever seen the Peter's children, but I think that Scorpio must be much better than them. He has Greengrass blood, for goodness sakes.

"Astoria is much more settled nowadays. She does not mind me having a job, although I think that she would like one again. I kind of think that it serves her right. Not that she is not perfectly lovely and hospitable. She makes me feel so welcome.

"I was right though, all those years ago. She was definitely leading him on."


End file.
